Research at the BHSU Underground Campus at Sanford lab created an opportunity for Rachel Williams, Black Hills State University physical science and chemistry major from Spearfish, to earn an international internship with the U.S. Dept. of Energy and the National Institute for Nuclear Physics. Her work at the National Institute for Nuclear Physics, Catania section, included building a detector that is now the highest efficiency cosmic ray detector housed at the Institute.

Williams says she chose to attend BHSU because of the University’s involvement in research with, and proximity to, Sanford Underground Research Facility. In high school, Williams worked alongside Spearfish High School physics instructor Steve Gabriel on his project at Sanford Lab involving measuring ventilation using flow meters.

“I’ve been involved in research at Sanford Lab since high school. I wanted to stay in this area because it’s such active research,” said Williams.

At BHSU, Williams has a new mentor who is helping her find opportunities in eventual pursuit of her graduate degree in nuclear engineering. Enter Dr. Brianna Mount, assistant professor of research and director of the BHSU Underground Campus at Sanford Lab.

“My first physics class at BHSU was with Dr. Mount. Last semester I went underground to work with her once per week at the BHSU Underground Campus,” said Williams.

The BHSU Underground Campus consists of a cleanroom and adjoining workspace nearly a mile below the earth’s surface at Sanford Lab in Lead. The area aids research and education in many disciplines including physics, biology, geology, and environmental physical science.

During her time at the Underground Campus, Williams says she maintained the cleanliness around the detectors enabling them to take data properly. She also changed samples in the detectors with Mount’s supervision.

All this hands-on experience in research benefitted Williams when applying for the Dept. of Energy internship. Mount received the internship information from her contacts at Gran Sasso National Laboratory in Italy and shared the materials with Williams. Weeks later, Williams landed in Catania on the island of Sicily ready to begin her two month long paid internship.

Working under the tutelage of Marzio DeNapoli and Mariangela Bondia, research scientists at the National Institute for Nuclear Physics, Catania section, one of Williams’ projects was to build a background detector for a small dark matter project.

“For the dark matter project, cosmic background rays are a very huge issue, so you have to have a really good system to filter them out. In Catania, the lab is not a mile underground like the dark matter project in Lead which shields the rays,” said Williams.

As a part of her internship, Williams was tasked with building a whole new cosmic ray detector from scratch, since two panels on the existing detector were not working. The detector Williams created is now the highest efficiency cosmic ray detector housed at the Institute.

“I built it, I tested it, I characterized it, which parts of the cosmic ray veto scintillator detector were the most efficient in detecting background particles and which weren’t,” said Williams, who presented her research results to an international collaboration at the end of the internship.

Reflecting back on her internship in Italy, Williams says she’s more confident as a result of the experience. She knows her work in Italy, coupled with continued study at the BHSU Underground Campus, will help her in the future.

Williams is planning to pursue a graduate degree in nuclear engineering.

“A big part of the research I’m interested in is the very experimental, very hands-on. This experience gave me the opportunity to explore other types of research, a different facet,” said Williams. “It’s given me a different insight into research and the things that I can do.”

During World War II, Black Hills State University, then known as Black Hills Teachers College (BHTC), became a training ground for the U.S. air power needed to win the war. Now, artifacts from that time in the University’s history will return to campus through a gift from Terry Neil King of Barrington, Ill.

The spring session of the South Dakota Stock Market Game (SDSMG), operated by the Black Hills State University Center for Economic Education, concluded its 10-week trading session on recently with 453 students from 23 South Dakota schools participating. BHSU student Raven Jorgensen, business administration-management and public accountancy major from Kadoka, won the College division.

Sarah Rathert wants to follow in her mother’s footsteps and become a teacher. She’s getting help along the way from the South Dakota Bandmasters Association (SDBA) who recently selected Sarah as a recipient of their annual instrumental music scholarship. Originally from Sturgis, Sarah heard about the SDBA scholarship from one of her professors at BHSU, Dr. David Berberick, assistant professor of music.

Two faculty from the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia, Dr. Miro Haček and Dr. Simona Kukovič, visited Black Hills State University recently to discuss further partnership opportunities with the BHSU College of Education and Behavioral Sciences. Haček and Kukovič met with Dr. Tom Jackson, Jr., President of BHSU, Dr. Chris Crawford, provost and vice president for academic affairs, Dr. Sharman Adams, dean of the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences, and Dr. Trenton Ellis, assistant professor of human services.

Artifacts from WWII training at BH Teachers College to be donated to BHSU

During World War II, Black Hills State University, then known as Black Hills Teachers College (BHTC), became a training ground for the U.S. air power needed to win the war. Now, artifacts from that time in the University’s history will return to campus through a gift from Terry Neil King of Barrington, Ill.

South Dakota Stock Market Game announces top teams for the spring trading session

The spring session of the South Dakota Stock Market Game (SDSMG), operated by the Black Hills State University Center for Economic Education, concluded its 10-week trading session on recently with 453 students from 23 South Dakota schools participating. BHSU student Raven Jorgensen, business administration-management and public accountancy major from Kadoka, won the College division.

Sarah Rathert wants to follow in her mother’s footsteps and become a teacher. She’s getting help along the way from the South Dakota Bandmasters Association (SDBA) who recently selected Sarah as a recipient of their annual instrumental music scholarship. Originally from Sturgis, Sarah heard about the SDBA scholarship from one of her professors at BHSU, Dr. David Berberick, assistant professor of music.

University faculty from Slovenia visit BHSU to increase partnership opportunities

Two faculty from the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia, Dr. Miro Haček and Dr. Simona Kukovič, visited Black Hills State University recently to discuss further partnership opportunities with the BHSU College of Education and Behavioral Sciences. Haček and Kukovič met with Dr. Tom Jackson, Jr., President of BHSU, Dr. Chris Crawford, provost and vice president for academic affairs, Dr. Sharman Adams, dean of the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences, and Dr. Trenton Ellis, assistant professor of human services.

Drone company soars out of BHSU-Rapid City MBA program

At Black Hills State University-Rapid City, two students turned an economics discussion into an emergent drone services company. Trevor Plett, Black Hills State University MBA alumni, and John Herrera, BHSU MBA student who graduated May 5, come from drastically different academic backgrounds—banking and medicine—but met through the MBA in Applied Management program at BHSU-RC. Plett and Herrera recently founded Rushmore Drones in April 2017.

6 questions with 6 BHSU grads: Sierra Concha

Full-time jobs, travels across the world, and advanced degrees. In this series “6 questions with 6 grads,” Black Hills State University will highlight the future plans of some of the University’s May 2018 graduates. Sierra Concha, English major from Pine Ridge, was hired to be a kindergarten teacher on the Reservation and looks forward to providing high quality education in the Lakota language.

6 questions with 6 BHSU grads: Madison Jilek

Full-time jobs, travels across the world, and advanced degrees. In this series “6 questions with 6 grads,” Black Hills State University will highlight the future plans of some of the University’s May 2018 graduates. Madison Jilek, physical science and chemistry major from Spearfish, will begin her Ph.D. studies at the University of Colorado Boulder this fall.

6 questions with 6 BHSU grads: Walter Bordewyk

Full-time jobs, travels across the world, and advanced degrees. In this series “6 questions with 6 grads,” Black Hills State University will highlight the future plans of some of the University’s May 2018 graduates. Walter Bordewyk, outdoor education major from Fort Collins, Colo., will travel to Asia with the Campus Ventures ministry.

Local organizations benefit from strategic marketing plans created by BHSU-Rapid City MBA students

Graduate business students at Black Hills State University-Rapid City (BHSU-RC) recently presented extensive market research and strategic marketing plans for local organizations, including the Rapid City Police Department, Dunn Bros Coffee, and South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks Division of Wildlife. This community-based project allowed BHSU-RC MBA students to use their education as a resource for Black Hills businesses.

BHSU-RC student and mother of two pursues a degree alongside her children

Julie Penney, business administration and management major at Black Hills State University-Rapid City, has wanted to get her business degree since the day she graduated high school in 1988. After sending both of her children to college to achieve their degrees, she decided it was her turn. Now, Julie is on track to earn her diploma from BHSU-RC in May 2019.

First annual Women in Science Conference to be held at BHSU

The Black Hills State University Women in Science Group will hold its first annual Women in Science Conference at BHSU in Spearfish Wednesday, May 9. The goal of this free one-day conference is to encourage middle school girls to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM).

6 questions with 6 BHSU Grads: D’Aryn Lends His Horse

Full-time jobs, travels across the world, and advanced degrees. In this series “6 questions with 6 grads,” Black Hills State University will highlight the future plans of some of the University’s May 2018 graduates. After graduation, D’Aryn Lends His Horse, chemistry major from Eagle Butte, S.D., will pursue her goal of becoming a pharmacist. She was accepted into pharmacy school in Colorado.

6 questions with 6 BHSU grads: Gavin Brucklacher

Full-time jobs, travels across the world, and advanced degrees. In this series “6 questions with 6 grads,” Black Hills State University will highlight the future plans of some of the University’s May 2018 graduates. Gavin Brucklacher, business administration major from Philip, S.D., turned a successful internship for college credit at First National Bank into a full-time job opportunity.

Jose Morales, who has been taking classes at Black Hills State University–Rapid City and will graduate with his bachelor’s degree in mass communications this week, is a long way from his hometown of San Juan, Puerto Rico.

In the KBHU TV studio at BHSU, Jose Morales took a moment to turn off the camera and retrace the steps that brought him from Puerto Rico to Rapid City.